Textile-conditioning apparatus.



I. E. PALMER.

TEXTILE CONDITIONING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.23,'1909. Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

4 SHEIITB-SHEET 1.

witnesses lw/uerbtor' Baas .Ela Zmer' 17 I Attj s I." B. PALMER. TEXTILECONDITIONING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23, 1909. 941,382. Patented Nov.30, 1909.

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1.3. PALMER. TEXTILE CONDITIONING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION-FILED 212.23, 1909. 94:1,382. I Patented Nov. 30, 1909.isnnnrs-snzm a.

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APPLICATION FILED P3123, 1909.

'- Patented Nov. 30, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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ISAAC E. PALMER, 0F MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

TEXTILE-CONDITIONIN G APPARATUS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LIsAAo E. PALMER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Middletown, in the county of Middlesex and State ofConnecticut, haveinvented an Improvement in Textile-ConditioningApparatus, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to apparatus for conditioning textile materialand may be used for starching, dyeing, washing or otherwise treatingyarn or fabric 1n such manner as to render desirable or necessary atwisting or wringing action of'the material during or incident to itstreatment with a liquor.

In order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood,I have disclosed an illustrative embodiment thereof in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of textileconditioning apparatus embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 31s a rear elevationthereof; Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of a textile traversing apparatusthat may be employed in the practice of my invention; Fig. 5 is a detailrepresenting in side elevation a modified form of fabric folder; Fig. 6is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 7, 8 and 9are diagrammatic representations illustrating the paths of treatment towhich the material may be subjected while passing through theapparatus-shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively side andvertical sectional views of one form of twister or \vringer that may beused in connection with my invention; Fig. 12 is a detail of a portionof one of said centrifugal woven material, preferably in flat or ropyform, and includes certain means for wringing the material during orincident to its treatment with a liquor, the nature whereof depends uponthe character of treatment of the material. The apparatus hereindisclosed may be used for starching, dyeing,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 23, 1909.

Patented Nov. 30, 1909. Serial No. 479,499.

washing or otherwise treating material. In the event that the apparatusbe employed for treating starched material, the latter is preferablystarched prior to its entrance into the apparatus. If, however, theapparatus be employed for dyeing, preferably a vat is arranged ashereinafter described, as a part thereof, so that the material may passthrough the vat and be subjected to the liquor therein substantiallycoincident with the wringing or twisting thereof.

Referring more particularly to that specific embodiment of my inventionselected for illustration, the framing of the apparatus comprises sideuprights 11 suitably connected as represented at 2 and 3 to support thewringing mechanism proper and the driving mechanism for the variousparts.

The wringing mechanism proper is represented as mounted upon thetransverse member 2 of the framing and comprises a suitable number ofrotating wringers or twisters vertically arranged for reasons more fullyset forth hereinafter, and through which the material is passedsuccessively, it being if desired returned through all or a part of thetreatment path for further twisting and additional liquor treatment.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 10 to 14 inclusive, I haverepresented a series of wringers of two different types, it beingunderstood, however, that all of the wringers may be of either type. Thetransverse member 2 is provided with suitable girts 4 in openingswherein are secured the wringers. Referring first to the form of wringershown in Figs. 10 and 11, I have represented as bolted to the girt a asleeve 5 upon the upper end whereof is mounted, preferably withinterposed ball bearings, a beveled or other gear 6 fast upon a tube 7received for rotation within the stationary sleeve 5 with its lower endprotruding therethrough as represented. Clamped about the lowerprotruding end of the tube 7 is a two part sleeve 8 rotating therewithand carrying centrifugally actuated wringer rolls 9 and 10, betweenwhich the material passes. I employ suitable means to force the rolls 9and 10 toward each other to squeeze the material passing therebetween.Herein for the purpose I have represented the two part clamping sleeve 8as having depending lugs 11, wherein are received removable fulcrum pinsor studs 12, whereon are mounted for free rocking movement the leverarms 13, 1

having at their lower ends partial bearings the framing 1 is positioneda vat 27 to re- 15 receiving the axles of the rolls 9 and 10. Preferablysaid arms 13, 1 1 are provided with intermeshing teeth 16 compellingconjoint movement of said arms. The upper ends of the lever arms 13, 14are forked and receive therein weights 17 which may be secured inposition, preferably removably, in any suitable manner. I contemplatethe employment of different weights in order to Vary or regulate thecentrifugal action upon the rolls 9 and 10, and I may also secure theweights at different distances from the pivotal point of said levers. Itwill be apparent that the greater the weights employed or the greatertheir distance from the pivotal points of said levers, the greater theresistance to the centrifugal action tending to separate the rolls 9 and10 in the action of the apparatus. In some cases but a single weightneed be employed. By suitably proportioning the weights with respect tothe rolls, it will be apparent that the centrifugal action upon thelatter maybe overbalanced to any desired extent. Either in conjunctionwith the weights or in substitution therefor, I employ one or moresprings, such as represented at 18, (Fig. 12), said spring 18 beingcoiled about one of the lugs 12 and cooperating with a lug 19 upon thedivided sleeve 8 and the partial bearing 15 of one of its rolls in suchmanner as to tend to force said rolls inward against or toward theopposing rolls. It is apparent that by the described construction ofparts the centrifugal action of the rolls can be overbalanced by theweights 17 and 110 spring be employed, or the weights can be soproportioned as to exactly balance the centrifugal action and a springor springs be employed. Preferably, however, I use such weight orweights as to overbalance the centrifugal action, and also supplementsaid weights by one or more springs, in order to secure the mosteffective squeezing action of the rolls upon the material.

In Figs. 13 and 1 1-, I have represented a different form of wringerthat may be employed in conjunction with or in substitution for thatshown in Figs. 10 and 11. In said Figs. 13 and 1 1, the sleeve 5, thegear 6 and the driven tube 7 may be and preferably are similar to thoseshown in Figs. 10 and 11. Instead of mounting centrifugally actuatedrolls upon the driven tube 7, I secure to the lower end thereof sidecastings or brackets 20 wherein are received for free rotation the rolls21, 22, 23 and 2%, the material passing about said rolls in thedirection indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 13 in the direction of thearrow thereon. the beveled gears 6 is driven in any suitable manner, asfor example by a beveled gear 25 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) meshing therewithand fast upon stud shafts 26 mounted in the framing 1. Between the sidemembers of Each of ceive the liquor with which the material may betreated.

In Fig. 1, I have represented the use of four wringers herein designatedby the characters A, B, C and 1). Between the wringers A and B andbetween the wringers C and I) and extending downward from the crosspiece 2 into the vat 27, I have represented guides 28, 29 preferablyhaving mounted thereon for free rotation the rolls 30, about which thematerial passes. Also extending upwardly from the cross piece 2 andbetween the rollers A and B, B and C, and C and D, I have representedguides 31, 32 and 33 having mounted thereon rolls 31. 35, 36, 37, 38, 39and -ft0, said rolls being preferably driven as hereinafter(lGSC1'll')O(l.

The material to be treated is received from any suitable source and isin Fig. l represented as piled upon the floor at -1-1, it being thencedirected over a suitable guide roll 12, and as diagrammaticallyrepresented in F 7, down about and under the roll 33 and thence over andabout the roll 34; into the first wringer A, the rolls 35 and M beingdriven to act as drawing rolls to draw the material from the supply #11into the apparatus. The material passes downwardly through the wringerA, and if this be of the type illustrated in Figs. 13 and let thematerial is subjected at E to a twisting action in one direction, and atF to a reverse twisting action, serving to restore it to the normalcondition. This twisting action serves, if the material, for example,has been previously subjected to a starching action, to work thematerial into the fibers. The material passes from the wringer A aboutthe guide 28 into the vat 27 and is there subjected to the action of theliquor therein. The material then passes upward through the wringer Band is subjected to a twisting and then an untwisting action at G and llrespectively, after which it is drawn upward by the rolls 36, 37 and 38and is then passed downward through the wringer C, which, if it be ofthe type illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11, subjects it to a singletwisting action at I. The material then passes about the guide 29 and isagain subjected to the action of the liquor in the vat, and then passesupward through the wringer I), being subjected to another twistingaction at J. The material is then drawn upward by the rolls 41-0, 39over and under which it respectively passes.

I contemplate passing the material through the treatment path hereindescribed once or a plurality of times, and in its second or subsequentpassage the material may traverse the whole or a portion of such path.If the material is to be passed but once through the treatment path, itis drawn upward over a roll 43 (see Fig. 1) mounted upon abracket 44extending inward from the framing and preferably driven. From thence thematerial is conducted in a manner to be hereinafter more fully describedto its point of final delivery.

I may, however, direct the material again through all or a portion ofthe treatment path. In Fig. 8, I have represented the material aspassing completely through the treatment path just described andrepresented in Fig. 7 and then as passing about the roll 43 and thendownward as represented at 45 to pass a second time through the wringersG and D.- In this mannerthe material is again subjected to the wringersC and D and to the action of the liquor in the vat 27 or the materialafter having passed once through its treatment path may be redirectedthrough the same path in its entirety, such treatment being representedin Fig. 9, wherein the material after passing once through the severalwringers A, B, C and D and over the roll 43 is redirected as indicatedat 46 under the roll 35 and thence over the roll 34 and again throughthe several wringers.

The vertical arrangement of the wringer or wringers is an importantfeature of my invention.

I am enabled thereby to subject most efficiently thematerial whilepassing from one wringer to another to the liquor contained in the vat27. Moreover the vertical arrangement presents a very compactedmechanism, requiring but comparatively small floor space. Again, itgreatly facilitates the repassage of the material through the treatmentpath and permits a better balancing of the parts of the Wringers'duringtheir rotation, and in the case of centrifugal wringers secures a farmore effective wringing action upon the material.

Power may be applied to the apparatus in any suitable manner. Herein Ihave represented (see Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 6) a drive shaft 47 havingthereon fast and loose pulleys 48 and also having fast thereon a drivingcone 49, a sprocket gear 50 and a pulley 51. Suitably mounted upon thetop piece 3 of the framing is a countershaft 52 having thereon a conepulley 53 adapted to be driven by a suitable belt from the cone. pulley49, suitable mechanism being employed to shift the belt as desired toimpart variable speed to the countershaft 52. Upon the stud shafts 26carrying the driving beveled gears 25 are mounted suitable sprocketgears 54, and if desired a guiding sprocket gear 55 (see Fig. 1) may bemounted in the framing 1. About the sprocket gears 53, 54 and 55 ispassed a sprocket chain 56, it being preferably di rected alternatelyover and under the sprocket gears 54, so as to drive them and thewringers A, B, C and D in opposite directions. By means of the cones 49and 53 the speed of the beveled gears 25 may be varied. Moreover thebeveled gears 6 are removable to permit the substitution for one or morethereof of different sized gears, thereby permitting the wringers to bedriven at diderent speeds with respect to each other.

A sprocket chain 57 passes about the sprocket gear 50 upon the shaft 47and also about suitable sprocket gears upon the shafts of the rolls 34,35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 and 43, in such manner as to drive them in thedirection of travel of the material through the apparatus, as alreadydescribed. The sprocket chain 57 is driven at a constant rate of speed.

The material after having passed one or more times through the apparatusis directed about the said roll 43 and thence over a guide roll 58mounted upon a hanger 59 depending from the top piece 3, said roll 58being driven if desired by said chain 57. After passing about the roll58, the material is directed upward to the guide 60 of a suitabletraversing mechanism 61 and thence over a roll 62 mounted upon a shaft63 upon brackets rising from the top piece 3 and driven from the pulley51 by the belt 64. As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the traversing mechanism61 is driven from shaft 63 by beveled gears 65 and 66 in a manner notrequiring further explanation. The material passes about the roll 62 andthence pref erably downward about a roll 67 to a folder 68, hereinrepresented as a blade fast upon a shaft 69 mounted in the framing 1,and having fast thereon a sprocket gear 70 driven from the shaft 63 by asprocket chain 71.

In Fig. 1, I have represented the folder blade 68 as having arms ofequal length, so as to fold the material into a pile 72 in the mannerrepresented. If the arms of the folder be of equal length, the folds ofthe material are always positioned at the ex treme edges of the pile. Imay in certain cases, however, wish to pass the material after itstreatment in the wringer through a receiver having a curved throat, andthis most effectively accomplished by providing a folder having arms ofunequal length. Such folder is represented in Fig. 5 wherein the arms73, 74 are of such relative length as to position alternate folds at oneside of the pile, as at the extreme edge of the pile and then at a pointremoved. therefrom to an extent depending upon the length of the arm 74.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that material of anysuitable nature may be received from any suitable source and passed oneor more times through one or more twisters, the material being subjectedif desired to the action of liquor in the vat 27. The material is drawnpositively through the apparatus in the described manner, and during itscourse passes through the several wringers, the rolls of which serve tosqueeze the liquor into the fibers thereof. The degree or amount oftreatment may be readily varied by repassing the material through thewhole or a part of the treatment path, and in fact even though the fourwringers A, B, C and D be employed, the material may be passed throughbut a pair of them in the first instance, as for example the wringers Aand B or the wringers C and D. The material is passed at a constantspeed through the apparatus, but the speed of the various wringers may evaried as an entirety by the conical drive referred to, or the speed ofcertain of the wringers may be altered by substituting a larger orsmaller gear 6. The vertical arrangement of the several'wringers permitsthe ready subjection of the material to the action of the liquor in thevat 27, and moreover permits a compacted arrangement of parts and a moreready driving of the several wringers. The material after treatment maybe readily piled in the manner described and thence removed for furthertreatment or storage or use.

The construction of the centrifugal wringer is such as to permit adelicate but effective treatment of the material by the adjustment orvariation of the weights 1'? and the use of the spring or springs 18.

It will be understood from the foregoing description and drawings thatthe material to be treated may be of any length, and that while oneportion thereof is passing for the first time through the wringers,another portion may at the same time be passing through the samewringers, the internal diameter of the wringers being sufficient topermit two or more portions of the material to pass simultaneouslytherethrough.

While the parts 7 are defined as tubes, it is to be understood that suchterm is used in a generic sense, and that they may be of any suitablelength to serve as carrying and rotating means for the rolls 9 and 10 orthe rolls 21, 22, 23 and 24;. Furthermore in cer' tain cases as Wherethe arms 13, 14: have interengaging means compelling conjoint ac tion,only one of said arms need be Weighted. In referring to the partscarried by the tubes 7 as rolls in the claims, it is to be understoodthat such term is used generically, as in certain instances non-rotarymeans or a combination of rotary and non-rotary means may be employed tocoact upon the material, such construction being covered by the claims.Any suitable driving means may be employed in lieu of the chains 56, 57,and the parts cooperating therewith.

Having thus described one illustrative embodiment of my invention, Idesire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes oflimitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the followingclaims.

1. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a vat, oneor more vertically arranged wringers supported thereover and includingrotary tubes and squeeze rolls carried thereby, and means to direct thematerial passing through said wringer or wringers into the said vat.

2. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a frame, aplurality of vertically arranged wringers supported thereby andincluding rotary tubes and squeeze rolls carried thereby, and means fordirecting the material through said wringers 1n succession.

3. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof wringers and supporting means therefor, each wringer including a tubeand squeeze rolls carried thereby, means to rotate said wringers, meansto pass textile material through a treatment path including a pluralityof said wringers, and means to redirect the material through one or moreof said wringers.

4. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof wring ers and supporting means therefor, each \vringer including atube and squeeze rolls carried thereby, means to rotate said wringers,and means to pass different portions of the material simultaneouslythrough one or more of said wringers.

5. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof wringers and supporting means therefor, each wringer including a tubeand squeeze rolls carried thereby, means to rotate said wringers, meansto pass textile material through a treatment path including all of saidwringers and means to return the treated material through a part or allof said wringers While a succeeding portion of the textile ma terial ispassing through said treatment path.

6. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a vat, aplurality of vertical wringers supported thereover, each including arotary tube and squeeze rolls carried thereby, means to direct thematerial through a treatment path including said wringers and said vat,and means to return the treated material through a part or all of saidwringcrs while a succeeding portion of the material is passing throughsaid treatment path.

7 Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof pairs of wringers, each including a rotary tube and squeeze rollscarried thereby, means to direct the material through a treatment pathincluding all of said wringers and for passing the material in oppositedirections through the members of each pair of wringers, and means toredirect the material through one or more of said pairs of wringersWhile a succeeding portion of the textile material is passing throughsaid treatment path.

8. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a vat, aplurality of pairs of vertical Wringers supported there over, eachincluding a rotary tube and squeeze rolls carried thereby, and means todirect the material through a treatment path including all of saidWringers and said vat, the material passing through the contents of saidvat When passing from one member of a pair of said Wringers to theother.

9. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a vat, aplurality of \vringers supported thereover and each including a rotarytube and squeeze'rolls carried thereby, means to direct the material inalternation through said Wringers and said vat, and means to fold thetreated material.

10. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a vat, aplurality of wringers supported thereover, and each including a rotarytube and squeeze rolls carried thereby, means to direct the material inalternation through said Wringers and said vat, a fabric traversingmechanism and means to direct the material thereto.

11. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof Wringers, and means to support the same, each Wringer including arotary tube and squeeze rolls carried thereby, means to direct thematerial through. said Wringers, a material folder, means to traversethe material along said folder and means to direct the material from thewringers to said traverser.

12. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a frame, aplurality of vertical Wringers supported thereby, each including arotary tube and squeeze rolls carried thereby, a vat beneath said.Wringers, means to pass the material in alternation through saidWringers and into said vat, a folder and a traverser upon said frame,and means to direct the material thereto from Wringers and vat.

18. A Wringer for textile conditioning apparatus comprising a tube,rotating means therefor, a pair of arms pivoted upon said tube, asqueeze roll mounted upon each arm, said rolls engaging the materialpassing therebetvveen and means to control the centrifugal action ofsaid rolls.

14. A Wringer for textile conditioning apparatus comprising a tube,rotating means therefor, a pair of arms pivoted upon said tubes andWeighted at one end, and squeeze rolls supported upon the opposite endthereof and adapted to co -act upon the material passing therebetween.

15. A Wringer for textile conditioning apparatus comprising a tube,rotati-ng means therefor, interengaging arms pivoted upon said tube,co-acting squeeze rolls carried by said arms, and means acting upon saidarms to control 'the centrifugal action of said rolls.

16. A Wringer for textile conditioning apparatus comprising a tube,rotating means therefor, arms pivoted upon said tube, coacting squeezerolls carried by said arms and springs and Weights acting upon said armsto control the centrifugal action of said rolls.

17. A Wringer for textile conditioning apparatus comprising a tube,rotating means therefor, arms pivoted upon said tube, coacting squeezerolls carried by said arms and variable Weights carried by one or moreof said arms.

18. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof vertical Wringers, each including a rotary tube and squeeze rollscarried thereby, feeding means to pass material through said wringers,means to rotate said tubes and means to vary the speed of rotationthereof.

19. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof vertical Wringers, each including a rotary tube and squeeze rollscarried thereby, a vat beneath said Wringers, feeding and guiding meansto pass the material in alternation through said tubes and into saidvat, and means to rotate said tubes at a variable speed.

20. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof wringers, each including a rotary tube and squeeze rolls carriedthereby, a vat beneath said Wringers, feeding means to pass the materialthrough said Wringers, guiding means between pairs of said Wringers todirect the material into said vat, means to rotate said tubes, and meansto vary the speed of rotation thereof.

21. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a pluralityof wringers, each comprising a rotary tube and squeeze rolls carriedthereby, each of said tubes having a distinct driving gear, permittingthe use of change gearing, and hence individual variation in the speedof said Wringers, a common driving means for said gears, means to varythe speed of said common driving means, and means to feed the materialthrough said Wringers.

22. Textile conditioning apparatus comprising in combination a frame, aplurality of Wringers mounted thereon, each comprising a tube andWringer rollers carried thereby, a vat below said Wringer, a gearmounted upon each tube and a second gear meshing therewith, a sprocketchain engaging the several second gears, means to drive said sprocketchain at a variable speed, feed rolls to pass the material through saidWringers,

and means to drive said feed rolls at a fixed \vringers, and a separatehand drive for said speed. feed rolls.

23. Textile conditioning apparatus com- In testimony whereof, I havesigned my prising in combination a frame, a plurality name to thisspecification, in the presence of 5 of Wringers mounted theretfii, eachcompristwo subscribing Witnesses.

in atube and WIiD QI r0 s carried there- 1 by: a vat below said rvringer, a gear mount- ISAAC PALMER ed upon each tube, a hand drive forsaid] Witnesses: p gears, means to vary the speedthereof, feed 2 FRED.E. Fowtnn, 10 rolls to pass the material through said GEO. C. HAINS.

